Faculty Meeting Minutes

November 1, 2013

Gannett Auditorium

MINUTES

President Glotzbach was unable to attend this faculty meeting; therefore, Beau Breslin,
Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, chaired the meeting.
DOF/VPAA Breslin called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

DOF/VPAA Breslin asked if there were any corrections to, or comments regarding, the
minutes of the Faculty Meeting held October 4, 2013. Hearing none, he announced the
minutes were approved.

DEAN OF THE FACULTY AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS’ REPORT

DOF/VPAA Breslin acknowledged the recent death of Kate Dudley-Perry, who served as
an academic advisor in the Opportunity Program. A moment of silence was observed
in her honor.

DOF/VPAA Breslin provided a summary of the recent Board of Trustees’ meeting. In
the Academic Affairs Committee meeting, the Board addressed their routine business
and then discussed the criteria and standards for tenure. The Board is aware that
the Faculty Workload Working Group has been discussing various workload issues, including
potential modifications to the Faculty Handbook, and two Academic Affairs board members
are very interested in this topic. The Board is cognizant of their role, and conversation
focused on what the Board can to do help on these important topics. The Board also
discussed student climate issues, early budget parameters for FY ’15, and plans for
the next stage of the science facilities planning (the building will be known as the
Skidmore Center for Integrated Sciences).

DOF/VPAA Breslin also reported that, during the Board meeting, Michael Casey, Vice
President for Advancement, and his staff led an Insider Kickoff for the new campaign.
The co-chairs of the campaign are two members of the Board – Scott McGraw, a parent
of a student from the class of ‘12, and Nancy Hamilton, an alum from the Class of
’77. This is a 6-year comprehensive campaign expected to raise between $220-$240
million; the goal of the campaign is to raise funds for the Center for Integrated
Sciences, financial aid, transition and transformation, the Tang, a new admissions
building, and the annual fund.

Thereafter, DOF/VPAA Breslin reminded everyone that the Institutional Policy and Planning
Committee (IPPC) is beginning the process of preparing for the next Strategic Plan.
The IPPC will be inviting committees, offices, departments, and programs to submit
white papers describing where they see their committee/department in the next 10 years.
The goal of the white papers is to see where there are synergies and overlaps. Further
information on the white papers will be sent shortly with a deadline for the beginning
of December. Please direct any questions to Joshua Woodfork, Executive Director, President’s
Office.

In concluding his report, DOF/VPAA Breslin reminded everyone that open enrollment
for benefits starts November 13. It is very important to take this opportunity to
change your benefits for the upcoming calendar year.

Thereafter, discussion was held concerning the inclusion of transition and transformation
(T&T) as a priority in the campaign. DOF/VPAA Breslin clarified that the T&T piece
in the campaign is not related to the AVD Grant; it is about helping students make
the transition to their post-graduate lives, including graduate school decisions and
career choices. Opportunities such as the SEE-Beyond program were discussed.

In addition, clarification was requested on an email that was recently received concerning
the re-fashioning of Case Center/Ladd Hall. Rochelle Calhoun, Dean of Students and
Vice President for Student Affairs, indicated that, while several years ago there
was a Case Ladd Task Force that developed some recommendations for looking at Case/Ladd,
it is a very long term plan. However, we will begin to have conversations about the
usage of the building.

OLD BUSINESS

Committee on Educational Policies and Planning

On behalf of the Committee on Educational Policies and Planning (CEPP), Professor
Peter von Allmen provided an update on CEPP’s review of the general education requirements.
To date, CEPP has consulted with a few small faculty groups and has met with two of
the divisional roundtables, Academic Counsel, and SGA Senate. CEPP will be meeting
with the other two divisional roundtables and smaller groups of faculty to provide
multiple opportunities for discussion. This work will continue through the spring
semester.

Faculty Executive Committee

On behalf of the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC), Professor Joerg Bibow read the
following Motion that was introduced at the October 4, 2013 faculty meeting (see attached):

MOTION: The Faculty Executive Committee moves to modify the Language in the Faculty
Handbook as follows:

OLD LANGUAGE 5. Administrative Meetings: Faculty members are expected to attend Faculty
Meetings and departmental and committee meetings when called. 6. College Functions:
Faculty members are expected to attend Commencement, and they may be asked to represent
their department or program at Honors Convocation. Any faculty member unable to attend
Commencement should notify the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President of Academic Affairs.
Faculty members are encouraged to wear academic regalia at Commencement and on other
occasions as announced.

NEW LANGUAGE 5. Administrative Meetings: Tenure and tenure-track faculty members are
expected to attend Faculty Meetings. Non-tenure-track faculty are encouraged to attend
Faculty Meetings. Faculty members are expected to attend departmental and committee
meetings when called. 6. College Functions: Tenured and tenure-track faculty members
are expected to attend Commencement and should notify the Dean of Faculty/Vice President
of Academic Affairs when unable to do so. Non-tenure-track faculty are encouraged
to attend Commencement. Faculty members may be asked to represent their department
or program at Honors Convocation. Faculty members are encouraged to wear academic
regalia at Commencement and on other occasions as announced.

Lengthy discussion on the motion ensued. Many faculty members indicated that the
new language sends mixed messages about non-tenure faculty and that we need to look
more broadly at the role of non-tenure faculty first. Further, one faculty member
noted that attendance at faculty meetings should be considered a responsibility regardless
of faculty status. Some faculty members indicated their support of the motion, stating
that the main purpose of the motion was to clarify that tenured and tenure-track faculty
members must attend faculty meetings. In addition, other faculty members indicated
that the Faculty Handbook already has language in it under the Faculty Meeting By-Laws
indicating who is expected to attend faculty meetings and who is eligible to vote,
and thus, the new language would conflict with the Faculty Meeting By-Laws.

Brief discussion was held concerning the next steps with regard to the Motion. A
motion was made and seconded to table FEC’s Motion. The motion to table the FEC’s
motion was voted on electronically and passed by majority vote.

NEW BUSINESS

On behalf of the FEC, Professor Joerg Bibow presented the following Resolution (see attached):

RESOLVED, that Skidmore faculty acknowledges with appreciation Phil and Marie Glotzbach’s
10 years of service to the Skidmore community.

DOF/VPAA Breslin asked the assembly to indicate their approval by acclamation.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

A motion was made and seconded to move into a Committee of the Whole to discuss the
proposed language to the Faculty Handbook concerning standards and criteria for tenure
and promotion; the motion passed by majority voice vote. Professor Bibow was appointed
as chair of the Committee of the Whole. A 20-minute time limit was set. At the conclusion
of the Committee of the Whole, Professor Bibow rose and reported that a discussion
on the topic of standards and criteria for tenure and promotion was held.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

On behalf of the Faculty Development Committee (FDC), Professor Alice Dean reported
that the FDC recently approved 25 Faculty Development Grants, 1 International Faculty
Development Grant, and 1 Emeritus Faculty Development Grant (see attached). She noted that no one applied for the new Kress Creative Pedagogy grant; thus,
the grant will again be offered during the Spring round. Professor Dean offered her
congratulations to all the grant recipients.

DOF/VPAA Breslin announced that the Skidmore Cares Holiday Open House will be held
at Scribner House on December 6 immediately following the faculty meeting. Please
bring a school supply or canned good that is assigned to your department.

Professor Pushi Prasad invited everyone to attend a panel discussion sponsored by
The Zankel Event Series and The Tang Museum’s Classless Society Exhibit entitled “The
Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Multiple Faces of US Corporations” to be held on November
4, 2013 in the Tang Museum.

Rochelle Calhoun,Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs, invited
everyone to the Saratoga Room in Case for a reception immediately following the faculty
meeting.